The present invention relates in general to reservation-recording of a video cassette recorder (referred to hereinafter as VCR), and more particularly to an apparatus and a method for performing the reservation-recording of the VCR using a G code.
Typically, a G code is shown in a broadcasting program guide publication and used to reservation-record a desired broadcasting program in a VCR. The G code includes coded reservation-recording information for the purpose of provision of a convenience in the reservation-recording of the VCR.
The G code was developed by the name of GEMSTAR VCR PLUS by GEMSTAR Company in the beginning step. The G code is comprised of a plurality of figures, which contain reservation-recording information regarding a single broadcasting program, such as a guide channel number of a broadcasting station, a recording time, a date, a recording length and etc.
A length or the number of bits of the G code is typically 4-8 EA for the reservation-recording of the VCR although it may be somewhat different every program. The user can readily transfer reservation-recording information of a desired broadcasting program to the VCR by applying the corresponding G code to the VCR using figure keys on a remote controller or a VCR panel. The input of the reservation-recording information of the desired broadcasting program to the VCR using the G code can be performed by pushing about 4-8 of the figure keys. Therefore, the reservation-recording information of the desired broadcasting program can conveniently be applied to the VCR.
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a block diagram of a conventional apparatus for performing the reservation-recording of the VCR using the G code. As shown in this drawing, the conventional reservation-recording apparatus comprises a key input signal receiver 1 for receiving the G code and guide channel mapping signals which are applied by the user, a controller 2 for controlling a VCR system, and a key input signal discriminator 3 for converting a key input signal or the G code from the key input signal receiver 1 into reservation-recording data under the control of the controller 2. The reservation-recording data contains a guide channel number, a recording start time, a recording length and etc.
A reservation-recording data storage unit 4 is provided in the conventional reservation-recording apparatus to store the reservation-recording data from the key input signal discriminator 3 and output the stored reservation-recording data under the control of the controller 2.
A tuner 5 is also provided in the conventional reservation-recording apparatus to receive a broadcasting signal of the reserved channel number on the basis of the reservation-recording data stored in the reservation-recording data storage unit 4 if the present time reaches the recording start time.
Also, the conventional reservation-recording apparatus comprises a recording section 6 for recording the broadcasting signal from the tuner 5 on a recording medium on the basis of the reservation-recording data stored in the reservation-recording data storage unit 4 if the present time reaches the recording start time, an on-screen display (OSD) unit 7 for performing an OSD function under the control of the controller 2, and a memory 8 for storing guide channel mapped information under the control of the controller 2.
The operation of the conventional reservation-recording apparatus for the VCR with the above-mentioned construction will hereinafter be described with reference to FIG. 2, FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B. FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the conventional reservation-recording apparatus and FIGS. 3A and 3B are mapping diagrams of guide channel numbers by regions stored in the memory 8.
First, using keys on a remote controller or a VCR panel (not shown), the user must map accurate guide channel numbers by broadcasting stations and store the mapped information into the memory 8. For example, in Seoul region in Korea, MBC broadcasting station is mapped into 11, KBS I broadcasting station is mapped into 9, KBS II broadcasting station is mapped into 7 and SBS broadcasting station is mapped into 6, as shown in FIG. 3A. The mapped information are then stored in the memory 8. Also, in Pusan region in Korea, as shown in FIG. 3B, the MBC broadcasting station is mapped into 9, the KBS I broadcasting station is mapped into 13, the KBS II broadcasting station is mapped into 5 and the SBS broadcasting station is mapped into 7. The mapped information are then stored in the memory 8.
Then, the controller 2 checks whether the key input signal receiver 1 receives the G code. Upon checking that the key input signal receiver 1 receives the G code, the controller 2 transfers the received G code from the key input signal receiver 1 to the key input signal discriminator 3. Under the control of the controller, the key input signal discriminator 3 converts the G code from the key input signal receiver 1 into the reservation-recording data containing the broadcasting station guide channel number, the date, the recording start time, the recording length and etc. The reservation-recording data from the key input signal discriminator 3 is stored in the reservation-recording data storage unit 4 under the control of the controller 2. At this time, the controller 2 substitutes the broadcasting station guide channel number of the reservation-recording data with the mapped channel number stored in the memory 8 and then stores the substituted channel number into the reservation-recording data storage unit 4.
Then, the controller 2 checks whether the present time is the recording start time. If it is checked that the present time is the recording start time, the controller 2 controls the reservation-recording data storage unit 4 to perform the reservation-recording through the recording section 6 and the tuner 5. In this manner, the reservation-recording of the desired broadcasting program can accurately be performed in the VCR.
By the way, the guide channel number of the G code corresponds to a single region and present channel numbers by regions are actually different. For example, in Korea, the broadcasting signal from the MBC broadcasting station is tuned to the channel number 11 in the Seoul region and to the channel number 9 in the Pusan region as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B. On the other hand, the broadcasting station channel number of the G code is coded on the basis of the Seoul city as a capital city of Korea. For this reason, in the case where the user executes the reservation-recording of the VCR using the G code corresponding to the Seoul city in the Pusan city, he must map the present guide channel numbers suitably to the Pusan region as shown in FIG. 3B and store the mapped information into the memory 8. Provided that the present guide channel numbers are not mapped suitably to the Pusan region, no broadcasting signal will be recorded because the recording is performed according to the actual channel numbers of the Seoul region. In this connection, the conventional reservation-recording apparatus for the VCR with the key input signal discriminator has a disadvantage in that the user must map the different present guide channel numbers by regions with an inconvenience. Also, in the case where the mapped present guide channel numbers are erased due to interruption of electric power, the user has to map the present guide channel numbers again.